Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Espinal’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Chrysanthemum  plant named ‘Espinal’, characterized by its pompon-type inflorescences with golden yellow-colored ray florets; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; early and uniform flowering response; and good postproduction longevity.

Botanical designation: Chrysanthemum×morifolium.

Variety denomination: ‘Espinal’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofChrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Chrysanthemum×morifolium andreferred to by the name ‘Espinal’.

The new Chrysanthemum is the product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in 's Gravenzande, The Netherlands. Theobjective of the breeding program is to create new vigorous cutChrysanthemum cultivars with interesting inflorescence forms andattractive floret coloration.

The new Chrysanthemum originated from an open-pollination in March, 1995in 's Gravenzande, The Netherlands, of two unknown selections ofChrysanthemum×morifolium. The new Chrysanthemum was discovered andselected by the Inventor as a single plant within the progeny of thestated open-pollination in a controlled environment in 's Gravenzande,The Netherlands.

Asexual reproduction of the new Chrysanthemum by terminal cuttingsharvested in 's Gravenzande, The Netherlands since Oct. 10, 1998, hasshown that the unique features of this new Chrysanthemum are stable andreproduced true to type in successive generations.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Espinal has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, daylength and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Espinal’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Espinal’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Pompon-type inflorescences with golden yellow-colored ray        florets; typically grown as a spray type.    -   2. Freely branching habit.    -   3. Freely flowering habit.    -   4. Early and uniform flowering response.    -   5. Good postproduction longevity.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of theChrysanthemum cultivar Verburgh (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,116). Inside-by-side comparisons conducted in 's Gravenzande, The Netherlands,plants of the new Chrysanthemum differed primarily from plants of thecultivar Verburgh in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum had more leaves per stem than        plants of the cultivar Verburgh.    -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum were more freely flowering        than plants of the cultivar Verburgh.    -   3. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flowered about five days        earlier than plants of the cultivar Verburgh.    -   4. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum had fewer ray florets per        inflorescence than plants of the cultivar Verburgh.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can also be compared to plants of theChrysanthemum cultivar Focus (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,133). Inside-by-side comparisons conducted in 's Gravenzande, The Netherlands,plants of the new Chrysanthemum differed primarily from plants of thecultivar Focus in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum had shinier leaves than        plants of the cultivar Focus.    -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum were more freely flowering        than plants of the cultivar Focus.    -   3. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum had larger inflorescences        than plants of the cultivar Focus.    -   4. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum and the cultivar Focus        differed in ray floret coloration.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the actualcolors of the new Chrysanthemum.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective viewof a typical flowering stem of ‘Espinal’.

The photograph at the bottom left of the sheet comprises a close-up viewof upper surface of a typical leaf and a typical inflorescence of‘Espinal’.

The photograph at the bottom right of the sheet comprises a close-upview of lower surface of a typical inflorescence and a typical leaf of‘Espinal’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The aforementionedphotographs and following observations and measurements describe plantsgrown during the winter and early spring in 's Gravenzande, TheNetherlands, under commercial practice in a glass-covered greenhouse.Plants were initially given long day/short night treatments followed byshort day/long night treatments to induce flower initiation anddevelopment. During the production of the plants, day and nighttemperatures averaged 18° C. and light levels were about 4,000 lux.Plants were pinched once and were about ten weeks from planting when thephotographs and the description were taken.

-   Botanical classification: Chrysanthemum×morifolium cultivar Espinal.-   Commercial classification: Pompon-type Chrysanthemum typically grown    as a spray-type cut flower.-   Parentage: Open-pollination of two unknown selections of    Chrysanthemum×morifolium.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—Terminal tip cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 5 days at 20° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 6 days at 18° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting, summer.—About 10 days at            20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting, winter.—About 14 days at            18° C.        -   Root description.—Fine and freely branching; white in color.-   Plant description:    -   -   Appearance.—Herbaceous pompon-type cut Chrysanthemum;            typically grown as a spray-type; erect and strong flowering            stems.        -   Growth rate.—Moderate; moderately vigorous.        -   Flowering stem description.—Length: About 70 to 80 cm.            Diameter: About 6 mm. Strength: Strong. Aspect: Erect.            Branching habit: Freely branching, about 10 to 15 lateral            branches develop per plant. Lateral branches about 9 to 19            cm in length. Color: 146B.        -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate. Length: About 6            to 11 cm. Width: About 4 to 7 cm. Apex: Cuspidate. Base:            Truncate. Margin: Pinnately lobed; serrate. Texture, upper            and lower surface: Pubescent. Petiole length: About 2 to            3 cm. Color: Developing and fully expanded foliage, upper            surface: 147A. Developing and fully expanded foliage, lower            surface: Between 137C and 147B. Venation, upper surface:            147C. Venation, lower surface: 146C. Petiole, upper and            lower surfaces: 137C.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Appearance.—Pompon-type inflorescence form with elongated            ovate-shaped ray florets. Inflorescences borne on terminals            above foliage. Disk and ray florets develop acropetally on a            capitulum. Not fragrant. Typically grown as a spray-type.        -   Flowering response.—Under natural conditions, plants            typically flower in November in the Northern Hemisphere. At            other times of the year, inflorescence initiation and            development can be induced under short day/long night            conditions (at least 13.5 hours of darkness). Plants exposed            to long day/short night conditions after planting followed            by photoinductive short day/long night conditions flower            about 47 days later. Early and uniform flowering response.        -   Postproduction longevity.—Cut inflorescences will maintain            good substance and form for about three weeks.        -   Quantity of inflorescences per flowering stem.—About 15 to            20 inflorescences per flowering stem.        -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 4 to 5 cm. Depth            (height): About 1.5 to 2 cm. Diameter of disc: About 6 mm.        -   Inflorescence buds.—Length: About 8 to 9 mm. Diameter: About            9 to 11 mm. Shape: Oblate. Color: 145A to 143C.        -   Ray florets.—Length: About 1.5 to 2.3 cm. Width: About 7 to            10 mm. Shape: Elongated ovate. Apex: Acute. Base: Fused,            short corolla tube. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Number of ray florets per            inflorescence: About 250. Color: When opening, upper            surface: 9A. When opening, lower surface: 6B. Fully opened,            upper surface: 6A; color becoming closer to 5A with            development. Fully opened, lower surface: 6C overlain            slightly with 22A.        -   Disc florets.—Shape: Tubular. Length: About 5 mm. Width:            About 1 mm. Number of disc florets per inflorescence: About            20 to 25. Color: Immature: 145C. Mature: Apex: 144C.            Mid-section: 13B. Base: 145D.        -   Peduncles.—Length, terminal peduncle: About 7 cm. Length,            fourth peduncle: About 9 cm. Diameter: About 2 to 3 mm.            Strength: Moderately strong. Texture: Pubescent. Color:            Closest to 146B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets            only. Gynoecium: Present on both ray and disc florets.        -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production has not been observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Resistance to known Chrysanthemum pathogens    and pests has not been observed on plants of the new Chrysanthemum.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Espinal’,as illustrated and described.